“Open government is good government.”
This is the tagline for Sunshine Week, an effort launched by the American Society of News Editors to highlight the importance of access to public information and what it means for communities.
Celebrated in March by news organizations, civic groups and educators across the United States, Sunshine Week creates an opportunity for journalists to point to their role in shining light into the dark recesses of government secrecy, as the Society of Professional Journalists states. But it’s also important for the average citizen to understand the many laws establishing public access to government records apply to everyone, said Chelsey Perkins, KAXE news director, on the Thursday, March 16, Morning Show.
“You don’t need to be a journalist to access this information,” Perkins told hosts Heidi Holtan and Kari Hedlund. “You know, I don’t have a license to be a journalist. Anyone who wants this information — and I’m talking public records that are available about your government, police agencies, courts — all of that information is available to anyone.
“But as a journalist, you know, it’s my job also to look at that information and ensure that if there’s things that the public should know about how their government is operating, that it’s put into the press.”
In Minnesota, robust statutes outline the documents governments must retain and spell out in detail the records to which members of the public have access. In many cases, that information is already available online, but sometimes, data requests are necessary to unearth public records.
"I don’t have a license to be a journalist. Anyone who wants this information — and I’m talking public records that are available about your government, police agencies, courts — all of that information is available to anyone."Chelsey Perkins, KAXE news director
Perkins explained the process journalists or members of the public should take to seek confirmation of news tips and the role public records can play in fact-checking claims made by anyone ranging from public officials to social media commenters.
“It’s always about going to the sources of information and cross-referencing it across multiple sources,” Perkins said. “You can’t report something based on a social media rumor without double-checking it through the most official channels possible. And sometimes that means not reporting it at all, because it turns out to be just not quite right.”
Listen to the full conversation, including more on the future of the KAXE newsroom, above.
-
KAXE Staff Phenologist John Latimer provides his weekly assessment of nature in Northern Minnesota. This is the week of Dec. 10, 2024. -
Contributed/Allison AufderheideStudents and listeners from across the state send in their nature reports. Depending on the season, reports may cover wildflowers, animal behaviors, weather patterns and other wonders. -
Jen Kellen/KAXEBeltrami County Master Gardeners Becky Livermore and Dan Sherman join the "KAXE Morning Show" to answer listener questions and discuss Christmas tree selection. -
Contributed/Shannon Lucas-WestrumArtist Shannon Lucas-Westrum considers her art mediative and now teaches others to share in that experience. She joins “Area Voices” to discuss how she got into fiber arts. -
Pam Perry, our favorite retired non-game wildlife biologist, talks about the Christmas Bird Count and woodpeckers with our staff phenologist, John Latimer. -
University of Minnesota researcher Thomas Gabel discusses his research on ecosystem interactions between wolves and beavers in Minnesota. This is part of "The Iconic Beaver," a series that investigates the influence of this keystone species in Minnesota. "The Iconic Beaver" is produced by Mark Jacobs.
